From AZ Central Dot Com

Reality of pawn shops a little different from TV shows

By Richard Ruelas – Oct. 5, 2010 12:00 AM

The Arizona Republic

On one show, the pawn-store owner is trading in antiquities and working big deals. On another show, the pawn-store owner deals with an array of sketchy characters kept in line only by his beefy security guards.

Neither portrayal seems familiar to pawn dealers in the Phoenix area.

“That’s all glitz,” said Stan Grossman, owner of Glendale Pawn and Jewelry. “The truth is, just like anyone else, we have a normal business.”

Pawn shops have become the latest fertile ground for reality shows.

Both shows, “Pawn Stars” and “Hardcore Pawn,” invoke puns that capitalize on “pawn” sounding like “porn.” But each presents wildly different views of pawn-shop life.

“Pawn Stars,” set in a Las Vegas shop and airing on the History Channel, makes the pawn life seem like a daily “Antiques Roadshow.” People come into a suspiciously empty pawn shop with valuables – the Who’s contract to play at Woodstock, John Hancock’s signature, a Rolex watch.

The staff hems and haws over pricing, sometimes bringing in experts to authenticate and evaluate items.

The other show, “Hardcore Pawn,” airing on truTV, presents a seedier vision. Set in Detroit, it features customers from a broad spectrum – a recently released prisoner comes in with power tools, and a woman demanding the return of a pawned item long since sold must be escorted out by security guards. One desperate woman tries to sell her pets (and since the store had earlier purchased a baby alligator, anything is fair game).

But most days at pawn shops are not as exciting.

“We kind of fall in the middle,” said Robert Palagi, president of North Phoenix Pawn.

Of the two, Palagi said that “Pawn Stars” is closer to the truth than “Hardcore Pawn.”

“Not everybody who comes in here is a tweaker with pockmarks and a hypodermic coming out of their arms,” Palagi said. Note that he said “not everybody.”

Palagi said there can be a rough element to the crowd, but he can’t remember ever having to threaten somebody with a gun.

“Customers get rowdy, but it’s so few and far between,” he said.

Antiques also are rare, said Eric Baker, store director at Mo Money Pawn Shop in Phoenix.

“We don’t see them that often,” he said. “If I would base my business on that, I’d be out of business in two weeks.”

Baker said he mainly gets TVs, DVD players, tools, electronics, watches and jewelry.

“You’ll never see that stuff on the show.”

The transactions can be a little more colorful than what may occur at Macy’s or Nordstrom, a detail the shows can accurately portray.

“At a pawn show, we don’t have to have customer service,” Baker said. “It’s our way or the highway.”

Baker said the reality shows are changing reality at his shop slightly. More people are coming in looking for antiques, based on what they see on “Pawn Stars.”

“I don’t mind the attention,” he said, “as frivolous as (it) is.”

Grossman, of Glendale Pawn and Jewelry, agreed, saying that on one level the show does a service for pawn stores by explaining how the process works.

But Grossman said a camera crew might nod off in his store. The overwhelming majority of his trade comes from people pawning or selling gold jewelry. And most interactions are pleasant.

“Generally, people are always nice,” he said. “If you take the time to explain why you’re doing things, most people understand.”

What keeps him interested is the unknown, always unsure what might wander through the door. Most times it’s jewelry, but he’ll get samurai swords or barbell sets.

“People don’t understand the depth of knowledge that pawn shop people acquire through the years,” he said. “It’s amazing what people own.”